Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 1.djvu/10

PREFACE Architecture, but so slightly that it is evident he has not regarded it as an important element in the general history of the art.

The following pages, however, show that Scotland contains a most complete and almost unexplored series of domestic structures, exhibiting as well the gradual progress of Architecture from an early and rude epoch to more modern and refined times, as the growth of our national life and manners.

In dealing with this important series of buildings our chief object has been to trace the development of the Architecture, and to determine the stages of progress or "Periods" into which it naturally divides itself.

In order to render the historic sequence clear and distinct, and also to follow the steps by which the designs of one period passed into those of the period that followed, it is essential that the plans of the buildings be fully taken into account. We have therefore devoted much care to the accurate representation of these important elements in the design.

Our sketches are not intended to imitate or rival the beautiful and artistic etchings of some of our Scottish edifices which have from time to time been published, but simply to represent the in what appeared to us the most intelligible and effective manner.

It is of great moment, in an inquiry like the present, that the history and development of the Architecture, as disclosed by the buildings, should be corroborated as far as possible by written evidence. We have